


Like Father, Like Son

by xxSilverChaos



Series: Mini Bang ( Series ) [1]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-05-03
Updated: 2013-05-02
Packaged: 2017-12-10 06:03:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/782655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xxSilverChaos/pseuds/xxSilverChaos
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The search for Captain America was yielding little results. No matter how hard he searched, it didn't seem to be enough. Their only clue was the Tesseract and he vowed to learn all it's secrets. How could he have known the troubles a crazy blue super cube would bring him?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> LJ Mini Bang Entry : Howard Stark has always been one of my favorite characters, despite how some portray his relationship with Tony. I like to think of them as rivals. How will Tony deal with his father in his own time? With the threat of Loki's mischief hovering over both of them.
> 
> -Part of a Series-
> 
> Not Beta'd, sorry in advance for any mistakes. Multiple pieces of this fic are scattered around my laptop, so updates will be sporadic.

The blue glow from the cube filled the room with a soft wash of light. The contained energy source sat innocently within the confines of the heavily sealed tube upon the work shop table, going mostly ignored by the scientist moving almost restlessly through the room. Walls to walls were covered in computers, bulky equipment, and the quiet hum of generated power. Cursing to himself, the male bustling around stilled before another table and shifting stacks of paper around, and finally sighed in relief. He lifted the book of notes he’d been searching for, grasping it tightly in his hands.

Bound in leather, the pages were crisp and fell neatly as he flipped through them, smooth clean writing filling up almost half the book. He skimmed the words for a moment before stopping short on the final filled page. Having interrupted himself the night before, he was relieved to find the exact formula of calculations in his notes, making it easier for him to pick up where he’d left off. Snagging a pen off his desk, he moved back towards his new found discovery, gazing over it. Sighing, he set both the book and the pen down at his newly cleared work area.

“Here’s to getting something useful out of you.”

His words fell flat, alone for not the first time in the underground lab, there was no one to reply. Not that he’d expected one. The other scientists would not be coming in again for a while, since it was late into the night already. Howard found he could not rest though until the solution to this bizarre mystery had been found. After all, Hydra had built weapons of mass destruction, after only having the cube for a few years. The secret to using it was there, it was only a matter of detecting how. The pure energy the thing gave off made it almost impossible to handle though. The memory of the minor explosion from just a fragment of that energy still lingered in the back of his mind. 

He had to be cautious, with how much potential this cosmic cube held, he could very well be bringing the building crashing down over his head with just one miscalculation. Shifting in his seat, he set about going over the formula again, before deciding there was nothing more he do, but test it. Moving towards the small machine he’d finished calibrating earlier that day, he started it up. It worked rather accurately at reading and understanding the fragments of energy that made up the Tesseract. The readings were informative, but he felt no closer to truly understanding this strange alien energy then he had been before.

Perhaps if he changed a certain variable in his equation. The thought had occurred to him several times before and though there wasn’t much change he was quick to follow the train of thought. Mathematical and scientific hypothesis were jotted down, the sketches he already had were detailed and doodled in with smaller side notes. He worked well in to the night.

It was just as it was passing the wee hours of the morning, that his first real conclusive finding occurred. His machine had been updated, added to with different cables and power sources, until he had what he could describe as something similar to an energy accelerator. Placing the cube container within the center of the machine, he locked it into place and moved quickly to the controls. Fiddling with the levers, he silently walked himself through each step, insuring that the mathematics were correct before firing it up.

Brilliant light blue arcs traveled across the room as the machine light up with that same other worldly glow as the cube. Staring upwards at it in silent admiration, goggles pressed tightly to his face, Howard Stark was fascinated. The moment was cut short as he threw up an arm to protect his face and neck, the room exploding in a shower of sparks. The glow quickly died down and the hiss of smoke and broken machinery filled the room. Groaning in complaint to being tossed halfway across the room again, the male sat up and stared at the cube which he swore seemed to be taunting him.

Standing, he dusted himself off and stalked back to his creation, smacking the machine with one fist in frustration.

Taking a deep breath, then two, three, he let them out slowly and sighed.

“So much for that.”

Shifting uncomfortably, sore from the explosion, he moved towards the notebook and spent some time jotting down results, before deciding a break was in order. Slipping the goggles down to hang loosely around his neck, he walked around the machine, shutting it all down, unaware of the foggy cloud like substance forming above his head.

Walking from the room, he clicked the door shut behind him and made his way towards the coffee room/break area. Searching the back of the cabinet, he pulled out a bottle of vodka, the good stuff, since he figured he’d need it and a glass. Making his way back towards the lab at a leisurely pace, he’s surprised to find the place darkened. He was sure he’d left the lights on when he’d stepped out. Making his way inside, he glanced around.

“Hello?”

He called out, not seeing much of anything, till he made his way down the stairs and to the center of his laboratory. It’s amazing he didn’t drop the drink in his hand as his mouth fell open. There, hanging before him, just above his wrecked machine and the cube, was a floating galaxy. A small turn, showed an endless sky, a brilliant shimmer of lights.

His scientific mind was fast at work, understanding the simple nuances while his conscious tried to catch up that this was a realistic picture.

“Holy…”

He was still for another few moments, before the white light began in it’s center and began to glow brighter and brighter, the Tesseract trembling just slightly in it’s holding and Howard dived to the side, behind a bulky machine just as the blinding ball of light exploded outwards, shorting everything in it’s path and disintegration anything within inches of it.

Blinking dazedly, Howard wondered how often he was going to wake like this, before sitting up. The bottle and glass rolled at his side, unbroken, and he lacked the focus to notice as he glanced around at the destruction.

To be honest, he’d been expecting a lot worse then that. Just what was that anyway? He wasn’t sure. Did his machine actually work? It could be possible that the cube had simply done it on its own. He needed more concrete evidence. After all, the cube had had it’s own strange effects on many of the scientist, quite a few who swore it’d spoken to them.

Straightening his rumpled appearance, he headed over to the machine and glanced back around once more. Whatever that had been, it had been powerful, but not all together destructive. A first for the Tesseract research. He cleared what he could in his immediate area and set to work. Re-evaluating specific key points as he worked and fixed damaged equipment. He had come so close.

[Elsewhere in the universe]

Loki stilled, turning his head just a fraction for a moment, in the direction of the Bifrost. Thor and the others who’d been walking before him stilled as he did and glanced towards him.

“What troubles you, brother?” Thor asked, wondering what had caught the others attention.

Looking back at his sibling, Loki adopted a sheepish like air. “It was nothing. Now, shall we continue? Father is not known for his patience.” His brother gave a loud chuckle and turned, he and his companions heading north, further into Asgard.

Just having returned from yet another adventure, the group was boastful and full of energy, despite their tired and warn forms. Loki hung back, listening in to the Warriors Three and Sif as they recounted their battles to his thoroughly enthused brother. His mind though was otherwise preoccupied, by that familiar flash of energy he was certain he had sensed. Yes, it could be no other. The Tesseract, but it had been lost to their world for many a year. Why now would it appear?

His curiosity was almost as legendary as the mischief he created and so it came as no surprise when the god decided that he needed to look further into the matter. Perhaps once the audience with his father was through and Thor had once more provided a brilliant distraction, a chance for him to go off, unnoticed.

Sometimes, not being the favorite son, worked in his favor.

[Earth]

Hours had passed, yet they felt like days as Howard worked without rest. His mind moving to quickly for sleep after the night before’s discoveries. Time had come and gone, over a week or so, before he knew it. His experiments interrupted only by the daily hustle and bustle of the early morning scientist arriving for the day and leaving for the night. Looking up, he was almost entirely too aware of the dark smudges under his eyes, the rolled up sleeves of his once pristine white collard shirt and his ink and grease stained hands.

“Mr. Stark, I see you’ve been hard at work down here.”

Colonel Phillips stood on the platform, looking down on his top scientists. Eyes scanning the room like a hawk, before landing once more on Howard.

“Anything new to report in?”

Stark nodded, grabbing a cloth to wipe down his hands.

“I managed to get some pretty good readings, but the machine’s simple. It couldn’t handle that much pure energy. I’ll be working on putting together a newer model, hopefully with that, we’ll be able to pick apart the protective barrier it gives off and maybe get a better understand of how Hydra split the thing.”

Phillips nodded, waving him off as Agent Carter stepped up to his side. Avoiding eye contact with the woman, Stark walks around them both, making his way away from the platform, only to still as a British accented voice calls out. “Mr. Stark, I think you’ve worked enough. Why not go and rest up?”

He was tempted to decline, was about to, but the woman’s sorrowful eyes managed to catch his own, and the scientist nearly groaned aloud. “Of course. I’ll be at home, be sure not to let anyone handle the Cube. I don’t want them ruining any of my preset calculations.”

“Of course, sir.”

He was loathed to leave, but found he couldn’t refuse the woman. After everything that had happened, failing to find the man who had clearly meant more to her then any other, he could barely look her in the eye let alone deny her.

[Asgard]

His waiting had finally paid off. Thor and his father had gone away together, the Three Warriors and Sif joining them, leaving Loki free to move on to do his own thing, like finding out exactly where that surge of power had come from.

His first suspicion of course, was the Bifrost, as the Tesseract was said to have been lost on another world. The rainbow bridge would be the easiest place to start. Arriving there was simple, just a bit of teleportation. After all, who had the time to walk. It seemed though as if the gatekeeper, Heimdall, was keeping a sharper eye on him then usual. It came as no surprise. Ever since his latest prank, most of the guardians had been keeping their distance. It was amusing enough to bring a crooked smile to his lips.

Gazing out across the rainbow bridge, he felt nothing. Not that he had believed he would. Too much time had passed for the trace to have lasted long in such a heavily traveled place. Leaving quickly, without a word to the ever watching male, he headed east. The bridge, after all, was not the only way to travel between worlds, merely the simplest.

Finding another way would be no challenge for him. Walking through the golden city, he let the soft green glow of magic radiate out from him, spreading it thin in hopes of catching a trace of the Tesseract’s unique energy. There had to be something, he was certain of it. He had not just imagined that flare of power. Just when it seemed he’d have to give up in this direction, a faint beacon of blue light wisp before him before dissipating into the atmosphere.

Holding in a sound of triumph, he merely felt his lips twitch upwards in an accomplished grin. Walking forward, easing his way closer, he stared at the clouded portal that had been opened. It was a tear in time and space, something only the Tesseract had the power to create. It’s power unparalleled by any other and yet this portal was crude, messy. The energy was violent, jagged, and the tear was quickly closing, to small now for Loki to pass through. He glanced around at his surroundings, far from prying eyes before looking back at his find.

He gazed past, beyond it, and only caught a cluster of stars, soft, familiar patterns before it completely disappeared. The mystical energy gone almost as soon as it had appeared. Well this certainly helped narrow his search. Those stars, Midgardian stars, he was certain of it. 

[Earth]

He sat straight up, gasping slightly for breath as his heart raced. A sweat had broken out across his his brow and he shuddered. Raising a hand, he brushed it over his eyes and groaned, falling back again. His head hit the pillow and he stared straight up at the ceiling blankly. Again, that strange blue glow was invading his dreams. Images of another golden world, of warriors and monsters, kings and gods. The pictures were amazing to witness, but it was the cold darkness seeping in past the edges, staining that perfect world with its cold chill, a wicked laugh echoing, that shot him out of his sleep time and time again.

It was no wonder the scientists in the lab had been restless. If these were the effects of simple prolonged exposure, he was afraid to think of what would come next.

Trying to clear the dreams from his mind, he turned over and closed his eyes. He needed sleep, no matter how much it evaded him. After all his work didn’t rest solely on the cube, Agent Philips had mentioned quite a few projects that also required his attention. With all the focus he’d placed on the energy accelerator he’d allowed them to slip his mind. After this though, he’d put his work on those first. The cosmic cube could wait. The dreams were getting to be too much. With this plan in mind, he finally fell into a restful sleep.

The next morning found him sitting, one eye glaring bleary at the sunlight shining in through the window. White curtains fluttered in the breeze and birds chirped outside, a beautiful day and yet the scientist could bring himself to care as he prepared himself for just another day of work.

[Asgard]

Loki sat silently, features pulled into a neutral expression watching as his father and his brother spoke. The lavish hall was filled with guardians, moving to and fro from the different tables lining the room. A large feast was being held in honor of Thor’s latest victory, the future king of Asgard having once again thrown himself into a reckless battle only to be praised for his pigheadedness. It was enough to ruin the god’s entire night.

Standing, he bid farewell to his brother, excusing himself to both him and his father with apologies of feeling unwell. He declined the offer to see the Healers and made his way out of the hall and away from their exuberance.

Locked away in his sanctum, he paced for a moment, feeling restless and impatient as he always did when his brother was doted upon. Did no one else see? How unfit Thor was to lead? He had held out hope for a moment, that this battle would end in his favor, that Thor would at last see that the violence he displayed was no way to rule a kingdom as peaceful as this.

No, he had been thwarted again and he hated thinking back on the punishment of that failure. The creatures he’d tricked into attacking his brother had not been pleased. Yet, the risk would have been worth it. The years of peace seemed to have gone to his father’s head. To have allowed Thor Mjölnir had almost guaranteed the others ascent to the throne when the male was clearly not ready. How was that a good idea?

The frustration he felt left him in a hiss and he swept an arm across his desk, scattering his books to the floor in irritation. If they could not realize for themselves, then he would make them see.


	2. Obstruction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Doors open at both ends...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to post what I had for the second chapter thus far. I'm not sure if I'll continue it here or move on to chapter 3. I suppose we'll see.
> 
> Not Beta'd, sorry for mistakes in advance. Sporadic updates at first, while I sort out the pieces I already have written and fill in any gaps left between them.

[Midgard]

Stepping forward through the growing blue portal, Loki could not contain the mischievous grin that crossed his lips. Finally, after so many months of waiting, the portal had appeared again and he was ready. Finding the Tesseract, before even his brother or father had an inkling that it was awakened.

He could only imagine their reactions and he decided that this impromptu little trip to the old world would be well worth it. It would certainly be interesting to see how the place had changed over the hundreds of years.

Bracing his form for impact, he landed crouched and took a moment to gain his bearings. Straightening, he blinked and glanced around, looking over the area were he'd landed. The pattern at his feet was far different from the Bifrosts own, but familiar. It was the only familiar thing.

The room was made of metal frames, dug deep into the earth. Machines of every shape and size covered almost all free space, leaving narrow paths for walking. There, glowing innocently on the table before him, was the Tesseract.

He was tempted to just snatch it and go, but as he reached out for it his hand stilled. Why waste such a perfect opportunity? The Midgard he knew had already changed so much just from what he'd observed in this room. Why not explore? Why not take this chance and see what those simple mortals had achieved?

The idea sat in his mind, brewing, expanding, and the urge that usually came with causing mischief grew stronger. Dropping his hand to his side, his grin grew. Yes, perhaps he'd have a little fun here first.

[Earth]

Howard was tinkering with the radio system in his hands, working steadily through the stack at his side. How the army kept destroying these at such a rapid rate, he wasn't sure. Yet it gave him something to do while his mind wandered. He just couldn't stop thinking about his dream and that cube.

Setting the items in his hand down in frustration, he sighed. A hand raised to brush over his hair and he closed his eyes, images flashing through his mind. He couldn't keep this up. Nothing he did was working on that cube, not after the first two manifestation of it's powers beyond explosions.

The blue spirals of lights, galaxies, stars that he didn't recognize. He could only imagine what it would mean. To harness such an energy, his life long ambitions coming to fruition. He didn't realize how deep into the daze he'd fallen, until a hand smacked down on the table near his elbow, knocking straight out of his daydreams of grandeur and back into the small workroom.

Colonel Phillips was looking down at him, an unreadable expressions on his face before he cleared his throat.

"It seems, Mr. Stark, that you may have been working yourself a bit too hard. Falling asleep on the job is something we can't have, especially around something so dangerous and volatile as the cosmic cube."

"No, of course, sir. I wasn't sleeping, merely thinking over my next step for utilizing the energy of the cube. I'm sorry to say things like this don't quite keep my interests from straying."

He raised the radio as if to prove his point and the man looked at him sternly for a moment, before adjusting his hat and turning to leave from the room.

"See to it that it stays that way."

He stalked from the room and Howard sighed, relieved. Picking up the radio once more, he set back to work.

"I will figure out how that cube works, no matter how long it takes."

[Midgard]

Walking around the various odds and ends scattered every which way in either direction he looked, the god wondered where to begin. Certainly not here, in this empty room. Despite the interest he held in those studying the Tesseract and all of their failures and what could have been a success, if the portal he'd come through was any indication, it seemed that moment would have to wait.

Instead he decided to follow a path, one leading toward the curved stairs. Striding up them, he stilled beside the door and with a quick thought turned invisible, just in case, and teleported out. Upon arriving on the other side, he found himself standing in a door filled hallway. It was dark and also empty. All the better for him, for the moment, though it'd be no fun to do as he pleased without someone there through which he could appreciate his fun.

Moving forwards and around a corner, his eyes were draw towards a light up ahead, and he grew curious. Why was that room lit up when all the others were dark. Was someone here after all? The potential to cause mischief dangled before him was too much to resist. He moved towards the door with purpose, stride comfortable despite not knowing what he'd find when he'd arrived.

[Earth]

Head resting on his crossed arms, Howard Stark was fast asleep at his work desk, little breaths leaving him as he slept. Beside him was a stack of now fully functional radios. He'd finished sooner then he'd thought and yet he couldn't work up the energy to move back down the hall towards the lab. A little rest wouldn't hurt and with that thought, he was out.

It wasn't until he heard the soft sound of footsteps that he stirred. Still he didn't wake, mind lost to the deep land of dreams as he gazed out beyond the stars. Worlds stretched before him, a beautiful array of stars and brilliant white light. The smokey blue glow he was now almost unnaturally aware of, slowly blanketing the scene as a chill grew.

He shuddered almost unconsciously, shifting in his sleep as he turned his head. Deep blue slowly took over the golden city in his mind, turning all it touched to ice, snow falling in a mockery of delicacy. That laugh that had poisoned his dreams, the dark haunting chuckle, it grew louder as the images darkened and faded to black. A face appeared, shadowy, and he squinted in hopes of making it out.

Yelling out, he sat up, startled and glanced towards the chair that he'd knocked over. He must have slipped, moving restlessly, he figured. A hand raising to his head, he tried to catch his breath from the shock of being jolted awake.

When would this end?

[Midgard]

Just as he reached out a hand towards the door, the silver knob twisted and the door swung inwards. With a blink, he stepped back, a twitch of his lips and a rise of his brows, his only reaction to the male that stood before him, unseeing.

The mortal was young, yet looked as if he'd been put through war. His hair and mustache were untrimmed and a mess. His garb wrinkled and worn, rolled up past his elbows as if he'd been wary of soiling them with his work. Scratches and bruises littered his arms and the side of his face. It was the eyes though, there were what drew him. They held the slightest blue glow, just around the iris, the glow of the same energy that made up the Tesseract.

So, this was the one that had opened the portal. Looking at him, he was nothing impressive. Simply another mortal, like the others, but perhaps a bit messier. The darker bruises around his eyes though were telling and the slowness of his steps giving way his rather exhausted state, much more then words ever would.

He could see why though. Work on the Tesseract would be fruitless at best and these mortals would keep trying anyway, persistent things that they were. Surprising really, how hard they worked when their lives were so short. Most did not even last long enough to see those endless hours come to fruition. What was the point? Others would gain and they would not, receiving only passing recognition in turn.


End file.
